South Korea’s newly inaugurated President Lee Jae-myung has pledged to lead a unified and pragmatic government focused on healing deep national divisions and restoring diplomatic channels with North Korea, following a turbulent period of political upheaval and economic strain.
In his first address after taking the oath of office at the National Assembly on Wednesday, Lee — a liberal politician from the Democratic Party of Korea — promised to steer the country toward stability after months of crisis triggered by the ouster of conservative predecessor Yoon Suk-yeol.
Yoon, who was removed from office after briefly declaring martial law in response to alleged threats from “antistate forces” and North Korean infiltration, left behind a deeply polarized political landscape and strained international relationships.
“We will heal the wounds of division and war and establish a future of peace and prosperity,” Lee said in his inaugural speech. “No matter how costly, peace is better than war.”
He signaled a shift in tone toward North Korea, advocating both deterrence and dialogue: “We will deter North Korean nuclear and military provocations while opening communication channels and pursuing cooperation to build peace on the Korean Peninsula.”
President Lee also acknowledged mounting economic concerns, particularly rising protectionism from key trading partner the United States. Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. has ramped up tariffs on foreign imports, including steel and aluminum products from South Korea, sparking criticism from Seoul.
The so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs — initially set at 25 percent but now paused pending talks — were followed by a new 50 percent tariff on Korean metal exports, dealing a blow to the country’s manufacturing sector. A caretaker government that served after Yoon’s removal failed to secure a trade agreement with Washington to reduce the impact.
Lee vowed to respond with a “pragmatic pro-market” approach, emphasizing policies to stabilize the economy, manage supply chain disruptions, and reduce the cost-of-living burden for working-class families.
Lee’s ascension to the presidency follows a snap election in which he secured 49.4 percent of the vote, comfortably defeating conservative challenger Kim Moon-soo. Voter turnout reached its highest level since 1997, reflecting public urgency to reset the nation’s direction.
With input from Al Jazeera and South Korean media sources.
